Christmas thoughts...

This is my 3rd Christmas season in a Muslim country, and this year was a very special time. It was a time when I was mostly alone, but not lonely. (Well, maybe a little lonely at times...) I am away from my daughters, Nicole and Elissa, and my kinship family and friends in New Mexico. Due to the timing of events in our fellowship in Malishevë there were no Christmas Day gatherings. Also, I have been fighting a bad cold for over a week, so a day spent in my "jammies" with no visitors was just what I needed. Just me and the Lord...

This year the Lord showed me several things about the Celebration of the Birth of Jesus. Being removed from all of the "buzy-ness" of Christmas, the day became very special because of the one thing that is most important...The GIFT! It has been a wonderful time of reflection for me...

Christmas Eve, our fellowship in Malishevë all gathered together to worship. Familiar carols sung in Albanian, a little different, but still a precious time to join our voices in celebration. The teaching was about the gifts the magi brought to give to the Christ Child, and how those gifts were of great value, and the men traveled a great distance to present them.

Christmas is about the "Gift" of God's Son to the world, I am sure that most everyone is aware of that. But for me...this year it was about the need for each of us to receive that "Gift" and to allow that "Gift" to change our lives. Most importantly, it is a gift that is to be shared with all of man kind. Once we have received the "gift of salvation through Jesus Christ"...we are called to give the gift away, sharing openly with all the world. Christmas is not about what we get, but what we give. For those of us that have already accepted God's Gift of Jesus, we have something so valuable to share with people around us that have not heard the gospel.

Also, since today is the day after Christmas, each of us has to decide what we are going to do now. Is the celebration just until the 25th and then it is over? Or is it a time when each of us need to get busy and share the gospel with the people we meet each day? The gift of salvation is not something that we keep to ourselves, tucked away and safe. It is a gift that cost God His only begotten Son. It is a gift we are to give away.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who so ever believes, will not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16

What are you going to do with your "Gift" today...?